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The Assault on Stratholme
(( This is still under construction )) In the ending days of the six-hundred eighteenth year, the Scarlet Crusade embarked upon one of their largest exercises of military power since the initial launch of the Scourge. At the behest of the High Command of the Crusade, a massive assault was launched upon the ruined city of Stratholme in order to rescue the large Scarlet garrison still trapped inside the Scarlet Bastion, as well as deal a massive blow to the leadership of the Scourge. The assault was lead by me, Scarlet Commander Embophur Ka'Qilri. However, the assault--despite initial overwhelming success--ended in the death and disappearance of thousands of Crusaders, myself a part of the latter group for some time. The true events surrounding the defeat were completely shrouded, and once it had become clear that there was no chance of victory, the Scarlet Crusade vigorously covered up even the existence of the assault. Few in the outside world cared to learn of the fanatical Crusade's dismal failure, but for the sake of our Crusade and maintaining the integrity of our goals, this document must be compiled. The Diary of the Scarlet Commander On the 4th day of the 11th month of the 618th year, My party has arrived at Hearthglen for my reporting to the High Command on the status of the Crusade in the Kingdom of Stormwind. I do not know how much of my time these meetings will require, but I am eager to return back to my new command in Duskwood. This will hopefully be a quick journey. On the 7th day of the 11th month of the 618th year, The first rounds of discussion have gone well. Grand Inquisitor Isillien is pleased with our steady progress in fighting the undead around Stormwind, and they have even begun to discuss sending another company of soldiers to bolster our efforts! We may now be able to adequately secure the southern lands in no time at all if this trend continues. On the 12th day of the 11th month of the 618th year, In a discussion today, I believe I made a grave mistake. Inquisitor Isillien wished to push for a fanatical assault upon Stratholme; however I spoke up in opposition of it, fearing that the casualties we would surely suffer would result in a catastrophic blow to our cause. The table fell silent as I spoke up. Instead of anyone taking the time to address me, they continued with the early conceptualization of the assault... On the 14th day of the 11th month of the 618th year, After another week of meetings, it has come clear to me that the previous good will I experienced earlier has quickly diminished. Perhaps it was preemptive of me to hope for such, but I will still try to convince the High Command otherwise. Instead of returning south now, I am organizing the priestly detachment that will accompany the Inquisitors suicidal attack. I desperately hope that once I have finished with this task, I will be allowed to return to my own post. On the 27th day of the 11th month of the 618th year, It has just been confirmed to me. General Abbendis has appointed me commander of the planned assault upon Stratholme. I can only speculate as to why this honor has fallen to me as many other highly devout and experienced commanders are already stationed permanently here in Tyr’s Hand; but nonetheless, this war is now mine to win. ---- *Inserted between the pages here is a paper detailing the assault force; a large, pale red watermark of TOP SECRET covers the page* From the Clerk of Grand General Abbendis, To Scarlet Commander Embophur Ka’Qilri Special Strike Force, Regiment 101 Dossier Operation Righteous Fury General Overview: Special Strike Force, Regiment 101 (herein referred to as 101st Regiment) is comprised primarily of four battalions, two heavy infantry, one rifle, and one heavy cavalry, a hand-selected attachment of priests and arcanists, eight heavy guns, and a logistics and command attachment. Command Personnel Commanding Officer: Commander Embophur Ka’Qilri * Decorated junior officer * Commander of the Scarlet Battalion * Newly appointed Bishop of Duskwood Executive Officer: Lieutenant Commander Kietal Domhnall * Decorated junior officer * Five years staff officer experience, Tyr’s Hand Master Sergeant: Sergeant Trygve Coleman * Former battalion champion * Four years senior sergeant experience Unit Detail 2nd Heavy Infantry Battalion * Strength: Full Strength – 1.000 Heavy Infantry * Experience Rating: Excellent 9th Heavy Infantry Battalion * Strength: Full Strength – 1.000 Heavy Infantry * Experience Rating: Newly formed 3rd Rifleman Battalion * Strength: Full Strength – 1.000 Riflemen * Experience Rating: Moderate 1st Heavy Cavalry Battalion * Strength: Two companies – 400 Heavy Horsemen * Experience Rating: Exceptional 135th Special Attachment * Strength: 50 Priests, 50 Deacons, 60 Magi * Experience Rating: Mixed 5th Heavy Artillery Command * Strength: Full Strength – 8 Dwarven-made self-propelled heavy cannons, 40 crewmen * Experience Rating: Moderate Regimental Command * Strength: 100 Support Staff, 50 Wagons, 100 Elite Guards My support crew seems competent enough. Two seasoned veterans of the Scourge have been appointed as my direct subordinates: Kietal Domhnall is a highly skilled officer who I have met with many times on my journeys and adventures up north; opposite him is a strong paladin named Trygve Coleman. The total regiment is a strong group of soldiers, a mix of new recruits and battle-hardened elites. Our official mission task now is to establish contact with the Scarlet Bastion and subsequently relieve and extract the Scarlet garrison there. Most importantly, we will save Grand Crusader Saidan Dathrohan It seems simple enough, but I still have my reservations. From now on though, I suppose such forebodings are to be relegated to these pages. On the 1st day of the 12th month of the 618th year, After a feast last night, our regiment has departed from Tyr’s Hand. We marched to nearly a mile away from the undeads’ outlying camp which surrounds the bridge into the city. I have just finished finalizing the attack plan for tomorrow—we intend to be at the gates by the setting of the sun tomorrow. On the 2nd day of the 11th month of the 618th year, I awoke early this morning knowing fully that I would probably not see the comfort of sleep for some time now; it was to be a very busy day. I can see the fires are starting to be rekindled by the soldiers as they too make their final preparations during their last hours of peace. I have lead valiant charges and necessary retreats; heroic victories and narrow defeats. However, none have been on this scale. Light shine on us. –0600 All units are in their attack positions. I have ordered the heavy fire volleys to decimate the undead scum’s outer perimeter. The cannons roar about my tent even as I write this. All is coming together. –1025 We have defeated the Scourge’s outer guard. We are now attempting to secure the bridge. –1700 The Scourge around us has scattered. What could escaped into the city’s walls; the rest are no longer a worry to us as they fled. Unfortunately the walls were crumbled behind the undead as they retreated to inside the city walls, and they no doubt are planning to choke us there now. My chief engineer has told me it will take several days at least to prepare the explosives perfectly to blow our way back into the city. Until then, we hold our position and wait. –2000 On the 3rd day of the 12th month of the 618th year, Nothing of great renown has happened today. Several small undead parties have tried to raid our camp, but they have been no match. I have been told that our losses from yesterday were minimal at a mere fifty, and my engineers inform me we will be able to continue our attack on the afternoon of the 5th. On the 5th day of the 12th month of the 618th year, We are now in place to attack the city. It will begin by detonating a series of explosives on the ruined gate of the city: phase one of the detonation is to crumble what remains of the supporting structure, leaving a pile of massive debris; phase two will blast the debris into the city, hopefully crushing a great deal of the unholy Scourge and paving the way for our invasion of the city. We have prepared a great line of defense to hold off any possible counter-attack, though I doubt it will be needed. -1153 Our attack has been a catastrophe! I shall do my best to recall all that happened: It began as planned; the engineer's detonated their explosives in the precise way they had intended. Indeed, they were so perfectly laid that the earth rumbled and the air quaked for some time after the explosion. A firestorm of wreckage was flung into the city as expected, but it was no deterrent. Waves of the cursed Scourge piled up over it and charged our positions. The front line was quickly overwhelmed as the bastards leaped over our defenses. Some were pierced by our wooden stakes; others were blown to pieces by our riflemen; and yet more where incinerated by our flaming cannons. But somehow they pressed on. One had even made it so far as to my command tent a good two hundred yards from the bridge! At this point, I took it upon myself to enter the fray and rally my soldiers. It was a grim sight indeed as I topped our defensive mound. All of our soldiers on the bridge were in complete disarray. I did my best to conjure what magic I could to aid our soldiers; however that of course was not enough. ---- *Between these two pages, a hastily written casualty report* '' 101st Regiment Casualty Report, 12/5/218 2nd Heavy Infantry Battalion: 123 dead/missing, 53 critically wounded 9th Heavy Infantry Battalion: 157 dead/missing, 94 critically wounded 3rd Rifleman Battalion: 238 dead/missing, 34 critically wounded 1st Heavy Cavalry Battalion: 32 dead/missing, 19 critically wounded, 43 without horse 135th Special Attachment: 7 critically wounded 5th Heavy Artillery Command: 2 cannons disabled, 5 crewmen dead Regimental Command: 1 wagon destroyed, 3 dead/missing (support staff) ---- For well over an hour, chaos permeated our ranks until the captains could adequately rally their soldiers. We finally made a righteous push and were able to drive the undead back into the depths of Stratholme, though we dared not to pursue them. After all of our desperate fighting, we had lost a great deal of our soldiers to death and for what? We only gained a foothold in the city. I have ordered now the vigorous establishment of defensive positions around our current location. We are now operating solely upon our supplies until we rendezvous with the Grand Crusader's forces, as the undead will surely reoccupy the land outside of Stratholme. Light save us. -1800 On the 6th day of the 12th month of the 618th year, We are all trying to recover from the previous day. The priests have been able to heal most of the injured; however many still lay either dead or missing. The howls of the undead can once again be heard outside the city walls, and my scouts have confirmed we are now completely surrounded. Our supplies should last us a week on normal rations. On the 7th day of the 12th month of the 618th year, Our progress is indeed slow, but we are nonetheless making some. We have been able to establish strong fortifications at many of the major intersections in the middle of the city, halting the Scourge's ability to freely move across the city, a major first step. I estimate that we will soon be in complete control of the Western half of the city in the next three days. On the 8th day of the 12th month of the 618th year, Today has been a good day! Cut off from their leader in the east, much of the Scourge forces we have encountered have been laughably easy to annihilate. Our line now extends to three blocks away from the Scarlet Bastion. Victory is near. On the 9th day of the 12th month of the 618th year, We are now one push away from reaching our final objective. I have been told by my officers than the mens' morale is excellent, and we will easily overwhelm the Scourge that stands between us and our Grand Crusader. I must prepare now as I intend to lead the charge. -1034 An amazing success. We are now inside the courtyard of our brothers and sisters at arms! My men are now returning to the lines in the east so that our swift exit shall be ensured. By our conservative estimates, we will arrive back at Tyr's Hand in five days now, our objective complete! As for now, my command post has been set up just outside the courtyard as I my formal meeting with Grand Crusader Dathrohan. This is a brilliant day for the Crusade indeed! -1622